Cricket, lovely cricket

[Adam Went]

Goddammit, Windies!

Cheers,
Adam.

[Jdombrowski89]

CD:

A classic case of the more they get, the more they want, eh? Perhaps they should have a look at their multi-million dollar bank accounts and sponsorship deals, with all their luxuries of life, and the fact that they get all this for playing the sport they dreamed of playing as a child. Then consider the Average Joe working full time for $15 an hour whose only luxury might be coming to see these guys play and have a beer there.....really is very frustrating.

Unfortunately, cricket has gone a bit the same way in recent years, with cricketers preferring their more $$$$ based IPL contracts to playing for national or state teams. I can sympathise with wanting to use your talents to make as much dosh as possible while you have the ability to do it, but the line has to be drawn somewhere!

$7 for a beer? Heh. Try buying one at a nightclub down here....

Martin:

Welcome to the Twenty20 squad!
It really doesn't matter what ability (or lack of) you have as pretty much everyone involved is going to be in the same boat. If (hopefully when) this eventuates, it'll all be about just having a bit of fun and raising some money for a worthwhile charity....

As for your match against the Windies....good luck. The Windies are a bit Pakistan-esque in their inconsistency.

Cheers,
Adam.

Adam,

Heard about this lovely Cricket Fundraiser. Count me in, Mate.


Regards,
Justin

[Adam Went]

Ah, I presume Corey passed the message on to you then JD? In any case, very pleased to have you on board as well - welcome!

You Poms better start getting your team organised, we've already got a good portion of our international team! Let's hope you're more competent at it than your national cricket team.

Cheers,
Adam.

[Adam Went]

Welcome to the World Cup failure club, England. Nice seeing you here.

Well, I guess now there's nothing else to do but support New Zealand for the rest of the tournament!

Cheers,
Adam.

[Robert]

Here's my tip on the India/Pakistan match :

In the third over, a bowler will run up reciting the works of William Shakespeare.

The 29th over will contain 15 balls.

A batsman will collapse with sunstroke one short of his century.

Two fielders will be fined for singing extracts from "Rigoletto."

I'm getting down to the bookmakers.

[Adam Went]

Not going to bet on Sachin Tendulkar taking 10-for then? Though knowing the vein of form he's in, it's quite possible.....maybe MS Dhoni to take the 10-for?

Cheers,
Adam.

[Phil Carter]

I'd put my money on a riot, before, during or after that game. Perhaps all three and do an accumulator.

best wishes

Phil

[Adam Went]

The trifecta, eh Phil?

Or you could bet on Ricky Ponting stepping down as Australian test and ODI captain.

Oh...wait....

Cheers,
Adam.

P.S. For the record, I think Ricky has been and is a brilliant captain and the best man for the job, he's just been unfortunate enough to be at the helm during the era of transition, where out greatest players over the past 10-15 years have retired. It's really sad that in 20 or 30 years time, he'll probably be remembered mainly as the first man for generations to captain his side to two Ashes defeats and a World Cup defeat. Hopefully he continues to bat at 3 and play on for a while yet, even if he isn't in charge.

[Steven Russell]

Three Ashes defeats.

[Adam Went]

Steven:

Don't miss much, do ya? See, I tend to count the '05 Ashes as more of an "unfortunate series of events which could never happen again in any sport, in any series, ever" rather than a defeat....but OK...three Ashes series.

Meanwhile, NZ is now out of the World Cup as well....so, erm, don't really care who wins from here on in. Probably prefer Sri Lanka if I had to pick one. Anybody else?

Cheers,
Adam.

[Steven Russell]

Sri Lanka for me too. They've been my second team since Ranatunga & co. took the title in '96.

[Adam Went]

India V Sri Lanka it is then. Will still be going Sri Lanka, but also it would be an excellent result for Sachin Tendulkar if he finally got to be part of a World Cup winning team after more than 20 years in international cricket....

Cheers,
Adam.

[Steven Russell]

And the perfect stage for the Little Master to score his hendredth international hundred!

[Adam Went]

He was pretty lucky against Pakistan, being dropped four times on his way to 85....even the Little Master, who's been everywhere and done everything, will no doubt be nervous when he opens the batting tomorrow. All rivalries aside, I for one genuinely do wish him well, he's in the twilight years of his career and it's been players like him who have the rare ability to single-handedly bring paying customers into cricket matches - can't fault that.

Cheers,
Adam.

[Adam Went]

So, India it is then!
Well, pleased for Sachin anyway....unlucky for SL and particularly Jayawardene who played a brilliant knock.

Cheers,
Adam.